I'm 69 and pay $4,500 a month to live in a care home. It's given me a better sense of community.

I'm 69 and pay $4,500 a month to live in a care home. It's given me a better sense of community. Victor Lee lives in an assisted living facility in Singapore. Rebecca Toh for Business Insider. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Victor Lee, 69, who lives at Camino House, an assisted living facility in Singapore. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.For as long as I could remember, I lived with my three older siblings in a two-story apartment in Singapore.I worked as a sales assistant at a popular department store, but stopped working in my 20s because of health issues. My siblings took care of me after that, and I relied on them to help me get by day to day. We were all single. Victor Lee spent most of his life living with his three older siblings. Rebecca Toh for Business Insider. But as the years went by, age caught up with them one by one, and I was left on my own.For over two years, I lived alone in that apartment we once shared. But as I got older and less mobile, it became harder to manage the stairs every day. I fell several times, and I started to realize how dangerous it was to be by myself.Each time I fell, there was nobody around to know. But the last time was the one that made me realize I could not keep living this way.I remember lying there for a long time, struggling to get myself up. When I finally managed to, I had to call an ambulance — and then open the door for them myself.Choosing assisted livingI decided to sell my apartment and downsize to a smaller public-housing flat. But like other Singaporeans who buy these Build-to-Order flats, I would have to wait several years for the apartment to be ready. When his siblings died, living alone became unsafe, so Lee moved into an assisted living facility in Joo Chiat, Singapore. Rebecca Toh for Business Insider. In the meantime, I knew I needed to find a place where help would be nearby if I fell again. Since I was still fairly independent and able to manage most daily activities on my own, a traditional nursing home didn't seem like the right fit for me. Thankfully, a social worker I knew helped me consider my options.She introduced me to Camino House, an assisted living facility not too far from where I'd been living.It's in a shophouse, one of Singapore's narrow, colorful historic buildings that traditionally had businesses on the ground floor and homes upstairs. He gets a private room with an en-suite bathroom. Rebecca Toh for Business Insider. I came to see it twice before I moved in in 2023. I knew there were other facilities, but I found them rather old and a bit crowded. In contrast, I found Camino House to be a very nice, quiet place. Right now, there are seven residents, including me.The caregivers are always helpful and cheerful — I call them my "sunshine girls." They are there when I need help, but I still have the freedom to do things on my own.Life at Camino HouseI have a private room with an en-suite bathroom, and I pay 5,800 Singapore dollars, or about $4,500, every month. This covers my room, meals, laundry, and care.I normally wake up early, around 6 a.m. After washing up, I head downstairs for breakfast, where I usually have oats with blueberries and honey.I enjoy doing my own exercises, and several times a week, I'll join the group activities held in the common area. We do things like painting and rattan weaving, and sometimes volunteers or children from nearby preschools come by. The care facility hosts social activities for its residents several times a week. Rebecca Toh for Business Insider. In the afternoons, I often attend mass online, read, or spend time with the other residents. On Sundays, I try to go to church.Before I came here, I was a rather introverted person. I think I'm the most talkative one now. I enjoy interacting with people. It feels more like a family here. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Amanda is an award-winning senior reporter at Business Insider's Singapore bureau.Her reporting explores how people navigate major life transitions, including career changes, relocation, and retirement, with a particular focus on the experiences of those living in Asia. She also writes about travel, culture, wellness, and relationships.She previously worked as a writer and video producer at a content marketing agency in Singapore. She graduated from the University at Buffalo with a BA (Hons) in Sociology. as told to Singapore